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(No Model.) I -2 Sheets- Sheet 1-.

G. W. NAPIER.

I FIN FOR VESSELS. v I No. 400,592. PatentedApr.2, 1889.

i Wye (No Model.) 2" Shegts-Sheet 2.

I W. NAPIER. FIN FOR VESSELS.

BIO/400,592, Patented Apr. 2, 1889';

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UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE,

GEORGE W. NAPIER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FIN FOR VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,592, dated April 2, 1889,

Application filei June 16, 1888. Serial No. 277,324. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WASHINGTON NAPIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented'a new and useful Improvement in Fins for Vessels, of which the following i'sa specification.

My invention relates to devices for giving stability to vessels while in the water.

The object of my invention is to provide simple and efficient means auxiliary to the ballast of a vessel which will be under the control of those on shipboard and by means of which the vessel may be caused to draw more or less water, as may be desired, and whereby the vessel will be made steady in the water.

My invention comprises the'combination of a' fin pivotally secured to the side of the vessel by one edge, an arm pivotally secured to the fin near the other edge thereof, and mechanism for raising and lowering the arm.

The drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is aview of my inventionmounted upon the side ofa vessel. Fig. 2 is a view of one side of a vessel having one of the fins mounted thereon. Fig. 3 is a section of a portion of my invention along the line w m, Fig. 1. In this view the pawls K L are shown in position to prevent the rotation of the drum.

Fig. 4 is a section of a portion of my invention along the line y y, Fig. 1, r Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view illustrating the hinge which pivots the fin to the arms B B. Fig. 6 is a detail section illustrating the device employed by me for raising and lowering the bar B.

The proportions shown in the drawings are not essential and may be changed, and two or more fins can be attached to each side of the vessel, if it is desired.

A is the fin, which is hinged or pivotally attached to arms B, B, and O. The arms B B are attached to the fin near the edge next to the side of the vessel, and the arm 0 is attached to the fin near the edge farthest from the vessel, so that when the arm 0 is raised or lowered it will raise or lowerthe outer edge of the fin. The barB is fixed upon the side of the vessel Z, and the bar B is adjustably attached to the side of the vessel. The central support-arm or operating-rod, C,

is attached to the mechanism, whereby it can be raised or lowered by those on shipboard.

The rod 0 passes through a hole, D, in abracket, E, secured to the side of the vessel Z, and the upper end of the rod is provided with a head, F, which, when lowered, rests upon the bracket Eto prevent the fin from being lowered too far. The upper endof the rod 0 .is secured to an endless chain, G, which passes around the drum or axle H, from which project cogs I, which engage with the chain to drive it when. the drum is rotated in either direction.

The drum is provided at each end with peripheral notches J, with which pawls K L engage to prevent the drum from turning in either direction. Cranks M are secured to the ends of the drum, whereby it may be turned when the pawls are thrown out of the notches. The chain is held taut by means of the pulley N, mounted beneath the drum, and around which the chain passes. \Vhen the drum H is rotated, the chain operates to move the rod 0 up or down, thus raising or lowering the outer edge of the fin, and the chain can be secured at any point desired by throwing the pawls K L into the notches J, thus holding the fin at any inclination desired. The hinges connecting the support-arms with the fin are not fitted together closely, thus allowing room for play, so that the movable bar B can be moved up and down, thus raising or lowering the end of the fin to which the arm B is hinged.

When it is desired to make the vessel draw more water when it is moving forward, the fore end of the fin is made lower than the end nearest the stern of the vessel, and the inertia of the water above and before the fin, will cause the fin to sink into the water, thus forcing the vessel downward and causing it to draw more water. When it is desired to make the vessel draw less water, the fore end of the fin is elevated, and the inertia of the water beneath the fin will tend to li ft the vessel and cause it to draw less water.

When the arm B is set to either raise the vessel or to force it down into the water, the degree with which it operates can be regulated by raising or lowering the arm 0, thus raising or lowering the outer edge of the fin, and thereby reducing the amount of water bearing upon it. The hole D in the bracket E is widened at the bottom and at the top to allow room for the arm C to move toward or from the side of the vessel when the outer edge of the fin is being raised or lowered.

I do notwish to be wholly limited by the peculiar mechanism shown for changing the angle and inclination of the fin, as the gist of my invention is the adjustable fin A, pivotally connected with and projecting outward from the side of the vessel, and being provided with mechanism for changing the angle and inclination of the fin.

Only one side of the vessel is shown, as the other side is provided with like mechanism, and a view thereof would be a mere duplication of the views shown.

Fig. 5 illustrates the hinges which attach the arms B and B to the fin.

P is a lug, projecting upward from the top of the fin, and Q is the pivot connecting it with the arm B or B. Thehole in the lug P, through which the pivot Q passes, is larger than the pivot, and the lug P is smaller than the cleft in the bar in which it is mounted, thus giving snfficient play to the hinge to allow the end of the fin attached to B to be moved up and down, as described. It is ob. vious a swivel-hinge similar to that connect ing C with the fin may be used, if preferred- T is a pin fitting into holes U, by means of which the arm B may be secured at any desired height.

V is a standard having holes \V therein, to aiford a fulcrum for the lever X, by which the arm B may be raised when desired.

Y Y are brackets forming guideways, through which the arm B moves up and down.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the vessel, a fin pivotally secured to the side of the vessel by one edge, an arm pivotally secured to the fin near the other edge thereof, and mechanism for raising and lowering the arm.

2. In combination with the vessel, the arm B, affixed thereto, the arm B, adjustably attached to the vessel, the fin A, pivotally attached to the arms B B, the rod 0, hinged to the fin A, mechanism for raising and lowering the arm B, and mechanism for raising and lowering the rod C.

3. In combination with the vessel, the fin A, the arm B, fixed upon the side of the vessel and pivotally connected with one end of the fin, the arm B, connected with the other end of the fin and adj ustably attached to the vessel, the rod 0, attached to the fin, and mechanism for raising and lowering the rod 0.

4. In combination with the vessel, the arm B, fixed upon the side of the vessel, the arm B, adjustably attached to the vessel, the fin A, pivotally attached near one edge thereof to the arms B B, the arm 0, pivotally attached to the fin near the other edge thereof, and mechanism for raising and lowering the arm C.

5. In combination with the vessel, the arms B B, attached to the side of the vessel, the fin A, pivotally attached thereto, the rod 0, pivotally attached to the fin and provided at its upper end with the head F, the bracket E, secured to the side of the vessel and provided with the hole D, the endless chain connected to said rod 0, the drum provided with cogs I, and means for rotating the drum.

6. In combination with the vessel and with each other, the arms B B, attached to the side of the vessel, the fin A, pivotally attached thereto, the point of attachment being near one edge of the fin, the rod 0, pivotally attached to the fin near the other edge thereof, the bracket E, embracing the rod 0 and secured to the side of the vessel, the endless chain passing over the pulley N and connected at one end to the rod C and at the other end to the drum H, provided with cogs I, and mechanism for rotating the drum. 4

'7. In combination with the vessel and with 63.011011118131118 arms B B, attached to the side of the vessel, the fin pivotally attached thereto, the point of attachment being near one edge of the fin, the rod 0, pivotally at tached to the fin near the other edge, the bracket E, embracing the rod 0 and secured to the side of the vessel, the endless chain passing over the pulley N and connected at one end to the rod C and at the other end to the drum H, provided with the cogs I, and at each end with the peripheral notches J, pawls engaging therewith, and mechanism for rotating the drum.

GEO. W. NAPIER.

Witnesses:

Ms. B. TOWNSEND, W. 'l. I-IUMBERT. 

